1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to disc type discriminating apparatuses for use with a system including a disc cartridge and a drive device by which a recording disc in the disc cartridge is driven, and more particularly to the disc type discriminating apparatuses of a type using a sensed means fixed to the disc cartridge and a sensing means fixed to the drive device, so that when the disc cartridge is slid into the drive device, the sensing means senses the sensed means to discriminate the type (which represents the storage capacity or the like) of the recording disc in the disc cartridge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, in the data processing field using a memory storage, various disc cartridges have been proposed and put into practical use as a recording medium. The disc cartridge comprises a recording disc and a case (or cartridge) in which the recording disc is rotatably installed. As the recording disc, a magnetic disc, optical disc, optical/magnetic disc and the like are used in accordance with the data storage capacity needed in the data processing field. When the disc cartridge is slid into a drive device, the recording disc in the case becomes set on a spindle of the drive device and a shutter part of the case is opened exposing a recording surface of the disc to a recording/reading head unit (viz., pick-up) of the drive device. When the drive device is switched ON, the disc is turned at a given high speed to record thereon information from the head unit or to give information therefrom to the head unit. Usually, a measure is employed for automatically switching the drive device ON when the disc cartridge is sled into the drive device.
As is known, the disc cartridges of each category are classified into some groups depending on the storage capacity, that is, the recording density on the disc. For example, in case of 3.5xe2x80x3 microfloppy-disc cartridge, there are three groups, which are 1.44 MB-type, 1.2 MB-type and 720 KB-type.
For playing these different types of disc cartridges by a same drive device, there is need of inputting to a controller of the drive device an information on the type of the disc cartridge just before the disc cartridge is set to the proper position in the drive device. That is, upon receiving the information, the controller has to set the drive device to match to the type of the disc cartridge that is about to be set to the proper position.
One of known measures of producing such information is to provide the same portions of the disc cartridges with discrimination holes. For example, a first type of the disc cartridges is provided with a through hole, a second type of the disc cartridges is provided with a bottomed hole and a third type of the disc cartridges is provided with no hole. And, a detecting pin is provided to the drive device. When, upon insertion of a disc cartridge into the drive device, the detecting pin becomes engaged with a through hole, it is judged that the disc cartridge just set in the drive device is of the first type. That is, in case of the first type, the detecting pin is deeply inserted into the hole. In case of the second type, the detecting pin is shallowly inserted into the hole. While, in case of the third type, the detecting pin fails to detect the hole. That is, the moved distance of the detecting pin produces the information on the type of the disc cartridge. Usually, the information is electrically transmitted to the controller.
However, due to some reasons, the above-mentioned conventional measure has failed to provide users with satisfaction. That is, due to the compact construction of the disc cartridge, the area where the discrimination hole is provided is very limited, and the contacting engagement of the detecting pin with the discrimination hole is liable to cause abrasion of a periphery of the discrimination hole. Furthermore, the contacting engagement of the detecting pin with the discrimination hole tends to produce a noise.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a measure which is free of the above-mentioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention, there is provided a disc type discriminating apparatus for use with a system including a disc cartridge and a drive device, which apparatus comprises a sensed means fixed to a disc cartridge and a sensing means fixed to a drive device, wherein when the disc cartridge is slid into the drive device, the sensing means senses the sensed means to discriminate the type of the disc in the disc cartridge without touching the same.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc type discriminating apparatus used in a system including a disc cartridge and a drive device, the disc cartridge including a recording disc and a case for rotatably receiving therein the recording disc, the drive device driving the recording disc in the disc cartridge and including a cartridge holder for receiving the disc cartridge, a spindle for rotating the recording disc installed in the disc cartridge, and a recording/reading head unit for recording information on the recording disc and/or reading the information on the recording disc. The disc type discriminating apparatus discriminates the type of the recording disc in the disc cartridge when the disc cartridge is put into the drive device. The disc type discriminating device comprises a sensed means fixed to the disc cartridge, the sensed member being capable of representing the type of the recording disc in the disc cartridge, the sensed member being other than a through hole; and a sensing means fixed to the drive device for sensing the sensed means to discriminate the type of the recording disc when the disc cartridge is put into the drive device, the sensing means being other than means which uses light as a detecting medium, wherein the sensed means is spaced away from the sensing means at the time when the sensing means is sensing the sensed means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc type discriminating apparatus which comprises a disc cartridge including a recording disc; a case for rotatably receiving therein the recording disc, the case having therein an annular ridge by which a receiving portion for rotatably receiving the recording disc is defined and having thereabout a peripheral wall; and an identification metal piece fixed to the case at a position between the annular ridge and the peripheral wall, the identification metal piece being capable of representing the type of the recording disc; and a drive device for driving the recording disc in the disc cartridge, the drive device including: a cartridge holder for receiving the disc cartridge; a spindle for rotating the recording disc installed in the disc cartridge; a recording/reading head unit for recording information on the recording disc and/or reading the information on the recording disc; and a metal sensor for sensing the identification metal piece to discriminate the type of the recording disc in the disc cartridge when the disc cartridge is put into the drive device.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc type discriminating apparatus which comprises a disc cartridge including a recording disc; a case for rotatably receiving therein the recording disc, the case having therein an annular ridge by which a receiving portion for rotatably receiving the recording disc is defined and having thereabout a peripheral wall; and an identification magnet piece fixed to the case at a position between the annular ridge and the peripheral wall, the identification magnet piece being capable of representing the type of the recording disc; and a drive device for driving the recording disc in the disc cartridge, the drive device including a cartridge holder for receiving the disc cartridge; a spindle for rotating the recording disc installed in the disc cartridge; a recording/reading head unit for recording information on the recording disc and/or reading the information on the recording disc; and a magnetic sensor for sensing the identification magnet piece to discriminate the type of the recording disc in the disc cartridge when the disc cartridge is put into the drive device.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc cartridge which comprises a recording disc; a case in which the recording disc is rotatably held; and an identification metal piece fixed to the case, the identification metal piece being capable of representing the type of the recording disc.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc cartridge which comprises a recording disc; a case in which the recording disc is rotatably held; and an identification magnet piece fixed to the case, the identification magnet piece being capable of representing the type of the recording disc.